U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,311, which issued in the name of Naka et al. on Feb. 4, 1992, discloses a panoramic camera having masking plates which are selectively movable for masking an exposure aperture so as to form a picture frame of a panoramic size or for opening the whole exposure aperture. A plate actuating mechanism provided on the fixed lens mount selectively sets the masking plates in either the full size position or the panoramic position.
The Naka camera includes a taking lens of the collapsible mount type having movable and fixed lens mounts. A guide groove formed on the movable lens mount engages with a pin formed on an operating knob upon retracting the movable lens mount into the fixed lens mount for carrying. The masking plates are thereby automatically moved into the panoramic position when the movable lens mount is retracted into a storage position.